Winter sneaks in on cat feet...

OK.

I have to admit that winter has arrived (either that or it's suddenly late autumn and winter is around the corner). We have had 2 frosts in a row, and it poured with rain all weekend. Drought breaking rain - we had 76mm of rain in 3 days. Farmers were dancing.

I have turned over the clothes, the children are in their winter uniforms for school and I have rediscovered my spencers and skivvies. I may have to do some knitting.

This is my first proper week of unemployment, and yesterday I went to the Sheffield spinners and weavers with my wheel and started to learn to spin. They were lovely and welcoming ladies, but strangely, most of them didn't knit (or crochet). I didn't actually ask them what they did with their handspun, but I will next time. I now have 3/4 of a bobbin of rather overspun alpaca and merino (90/10). Apparently the overspinning was only partly me. The tension on the wheel wouldn't stay set, so running repairs were carried out by a little old lady with fishing wire and a red Post Office rubber band. I also found I am a much better spinner if I don't look at what I am doing.

I spent the wet weekend teaching the Princess to sew, and we made this:

Here is the proud creator.



So, that is the wet Saturday. On Sunday, Princess made a chocolate cake, mainly by herself (under supervision), so she is inordinately pleased with herself (and I am very proud of her).

I have been cooking more exciting wintry type food too. Last night I attempted to recreate a lovely dish I had at Brown Brothers Epicure restaurant, chorizo, potato and tomato. I used the roasted tomato sauce (will it see out the winter, or should I try and make just one more batch?).

I fried off the sliced chorizo, and drained it. Cooked some dutch cream potatoes then fried them in a little olive oil with sweet paprika, smoked paprika and hot paprika. Returned the sliced chorizo to the pan, added the roasted tomato sauce, tasted it, added a little more seasoning - nom nom! Not a bad recreation - maybe a little more hot paprika next time!

It's nice to have a bit more time for cooking and meal planning.

I have almost finished the body of the gathered pullover, and hope to start the sleeves in a day or two. Still need to finish Cherie (just not feeling the lurve), and the plain toe-up socks. then I can get on to some more things. Winter is coming - we need to keep warm!

What I did on my holiday (Part 1)

Goodness me! We got back yesterday and I’ve barely had a moment to breathe – what with the post holiday stuff! (Washing, tidying, shopping for food, organising stuff for school – you know!)

So this is only a half post – I’ll sprint from Tassie to Echuca and spend a little more leisurely time tomorrow in and around Canberra!

We went to Melbourne on the ferry and barely drew breath before speeding into Bendigo, and finding the rather well camouflaged woollen mill, where I sprinted for the Bargain room. I basically ignored all the stuff I can get at Bendi anytime a bad move as I later discovered – more anon – or at least in a day or so) and went into the back cave of treasures! Found that Bendi used to have sock yarn – called Miami – a wool/cotton/nylon mixture which seems to bear a bit of a resemblance to Socketta. Stocked up. A lot.

Then added some dark Purply- Blue aran (18 x 50gr balls at 2 dollars a ball) and 3 200gram skeins of colonial in a colour called Foxglove (think Jacaranda trees) for 7 dollars a skein! Caressed some sunflower yellow baby wool and some other bits and pieces, and managed to tear myself away.

Off to Echuca. My lord it was hot! 40 degrees –ish while we were there – lucky we had a pool, but hard to convince children to stay inside when they’re on holiday! (At least till the worst of the sun was off the pool – luckily we had packed DVDs!) Echuca meant Mandie from Ewe Give Me the Knits (one of the Greatest names in creation).

We had morning coffee and talked. And talked. And Talked – and since we could both talk for Australia, it was great fun! Mandie gave me some lovely gifts – Two beautiful rovings – one merino in colours called Turbulent 1

The other a merino/bamboo in the Blue Gum 1 colourway.

There were also some gorgeous skull stitch markers – but they are currently in service!

It was wonderful to meet yet another generous and funny blogger – and now I have to learn to spin – just to make something wonderful from such gorgeous rovings!